More protests at USM over budget cuts

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Classes were canceled for the afternoon and the doors locked at the law school at the University of Southern Maine as students held another protest.

About 100 students gathered outside the Law School building today. They're upset over cuts to programs and positions USM's President is proposing to offset a 14-million dollar budget shortfall.

The plans include the elimination of four majors and laying off up to thirty faculty members. "Last night President Kalikow wrote a very cryptic email saying she wanted to talk with us. I feel as though she wanted to talk to us. We have tried to talk with her for very long time and she has written us off", said USM Senior Michael Havelin.

Kalikow says she understands their frustration and calls the losses that will results from the cuts, profound. She says the difficult decisions that are being made now are necessary for the future survival of the school. "I need to make sure relationships with professors and students and the community are here long term for the university to survive and so we need to suffer through this together", she said.

Kalikow made herself available to speak with protesters inside Sullivan Gymnasium, but the protesters are vowing to refuse to speak with the administration until they're willing to give some concessions to the proposed cuts.